# Pilgrim Stakes

The Pilgrim Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on the turf track scheduled annually in late September at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The event currently offers a purse of $200,000.

## History

The event was inaugurated on 29 October 1979 at Aqueduct Racetrack and was run over the 1+1⁄8 mile distance in split divisions as the sixth and eighth race on the card that day.
The race is named for Joseph E. Widener's horse, Pilgrim, winner of the 1919 Remsen Stakes.
In 1982 the event was classified as Grade III, upgraded to Grade II in 1988 for two runnings before being downgraded to Grade III. From 2001–2007 the race was not graded as in 2009 when the event was moved off the turf track due to the inclement weather and held over a shorter one mile distance.
The event was run in two divisions in the above mentioned inaugural 1979 and again in 1983.
The distance of the event has been changed several times but since 2010 the event has been run over the current distance of 1+1⁄16 miles.
The race was part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series from 2008 to 2010, when the winner automatically qualified for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.
The event was upgraded to a Grade III event in 2020.
In 2022 the event was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1+1⁄16 miles: 1:41.04 – Annapolis (2021)
* 1+1⁄8 miles: 1:48.02 – Volponi (2000)
Margins:
* 12 lengths – Diplomatic Jet (1994)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Live Oak Racing (1981, 2001)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 5 – John Velazquez (1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2007)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 6 – Todd A. Pletcher (2007, 2009, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| At Aqueduct – Pilgrim Stakes ||||||||||
| 2024 | Zulu Kingdom (IRE) | Joel Rosario | Chad C. Brown | Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, William Strauss & Michael J. Caruso | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:48.67 | $200,000 | II | |
| 2023 | Agate Road | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.83 | $200,000 | II | |
| 2022 | Major Dude | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd A. Pletcher | Spendthrift Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:46.60 | $200,000 | II | |
| At Belmont Park ||||||||||
| 2021 | Annapolis | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd A. Pletcher | Bass Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.04 | $186,000 | II | |
| 2020 | Fire At Will | Kendrick Carmouche | Michael J. Maker | Three Diamonds Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.46 | $150,000 | II | |
| 2019 | Structor | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad C. Brown | Jeff Drown & Don Rachel | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.46 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2018 | Forty Under | Manuel Franco | Jeremiah C. Englehart | August Dawn Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.37 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2017 | Seabhac | Luis Saez | Todd A. Pletcher | Donegal Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.48 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2016 | Oscar Performance | José L. Ortiz | Brian A. Lynch | Amerman Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.88 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2015 | Isotherm | Jose Lezcano | George Weaver | Matthew Schera | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.98 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2014 | Imperia | Javier Castellano | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Godolphin Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.36 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2013 | Bobby's Kitten | Javier Castellano | Chad C. Brown | Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.37 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2012 | Noble Tune | Ramon A. Dominguez | Chad C. Brown | Martin S. Schwartz & Dell Ridge Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:47.81 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2011 | Shkspeare Shaliyah | Alex O. Solis | Doodnauth Shivmangal | Shivmangal Racing Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:51.59 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2010 | Air Support | Rajiv Maragh | Claude R. McGaughey III | Stuart S. Janney III | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:47.87 | $147,500 | III | |
| 2009 | Eskendereya | Javier Castellano | Todd A. Pletcher | Zayat Stables | 1 mile | 1:37.85 | $152,500 | Listed | Off turf |
| 2008 | Elusive Bluff | Michael C. Baze | Eric J. Guillot | Southern Equine Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:47.91 | $156,800 | III | |
| 2007 | The Leopard | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.61 | $81,000 | Listed | |
| 2006 | Pickapocket | Eibar Coa | Frank A. Alexander | Martin Cherry | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.62 | $85,925 | Listed | |
| 2005 | Fagan's Legacy | Joe Bravo | Kelly J. Breen | George & Lori Hall | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.11 | $82,575 | Listed | Off turf |
| 2004 | Crown Point | Jose L. Espinoza | David G. Donk | Drumlanrig Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.31 | $82,875 | Listed | |
| 2003 | Timo | John R. Velazquez | William Badgett Jr. | C. K. Woods Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:57.46 | $82,525 | Listed | |
| At Aqueduct ||||||||||
| 2002 | One Colony | Aaron Gryder | Mark A. Hennig | Edward P. Evans | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.00 | $82,950 | Listed | Off turf |
| 2001 | Miesque's Approval | Jerry D. Bailey | William I. Mott | Live Oak Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.80 | $83,475 | Listed | |
| At Belmont Park ||||||||||
| 2000 | Volponi | John R. Velazquez | Philip G. Johnson | Amherst & Spruce Pond | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.02 | $113,300 | III | |
| 1999 | Kachemak Bay | John R. Velazquez | John P. Campo Jr. | Evelyn M. Pollard | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:54.67 | $111,600 | III | |
| 1998 | Incurable Optimist | John R. Velazquez | David G. Donk | John T. & Theresa E. Behrendt | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.05 | $108,100 | III | |
| At Aqueduct ||||||||||
| 1997 | § Cryptic Rascal | Mike E. Smith | William Badgett Jr. | Landon Knight | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.83 | $115,700 | III | |
| At Belmont Park ||||||||||
| 1996 | Accelerator | Mike E. Smith | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Mills Phipps | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.80 | $113,800 | III | Off turf |
| At Aqueduct ||||||||||
| 1995 | Play It Again Stan | Herb McCauley | Frank A. Generazio Jr. | Sybil Lauren | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:50.20 | $115,900 | III | |
| At Belmont Park ||||||||||
| 1994 | Diplomatic Jet | Jerry D. Bailey | Philip M. Serpe | Fred W. Hooper | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:46.67 | $82,076 | III | |
| 1993 | § Dove Hunt | Jerry D. Bailey | Neil J. Howard | William S. Farish III | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.60 | $122,600 | III | |
| 1992 | § Awad | Julie Krone | David G. Donk | Ryehill Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.60 | $127,000 | III | |
| 1991 | Smiling and Dancin | Richard Migliore | Stephen L. DiMauro | Robert J. Sullivan | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.20 | $122,800 | III | |
| At Aqueduct ||||||||||
| 1990 | Fourstars Allstar | Mike E. Smith | Leo O'Brien | Richard Bromze | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.60 | $90,000 | III | |
| 1989 | Super Mario | Richard Migliore | D. Wayne Lukas | H. Joseph Allen | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:56.00 | $126,800 | II | |
| 1988 | Tuneful Tip | Carl Gambardella | Ronald J. Dandy | Frank Generazio | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:59.00 | $132,200 | II | |
| 1987 | Blew by Em | Chris Antley | Michael H. Daggett | Joseph B. Singer | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:53.60 | $92,850 | III | |
| 1986 | § David's Bird | Jean-Luc Samyn | Philip G. Johnson | Sugar Maple Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:53.00 | $97,950 | III | |
| 1985 | Pillaster | Ángel Cordero Jr. | LeRoy Jolley | Peter M. Brant | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:54.40 | $89,550 | III | |
| 1984 | Tent Up | Vincent Bracciale Jr. | John W. Hicks | Geoffrey A. Huguely | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:53.20 | $94,500 | III | |
| 1983 | Pied A' Tierre | Larry Saumell | Ronald L. Benshoff | Blanche P. Levy | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.40 | $54,700 | III | †Division 1 |
| 1983 | Vision | Eddie Maple | Woodford C. Stephens | Claiborne Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.20 | $54,700 | III | †Division 2 |
| 1982 | Fortnightly | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Edward I. Kelly Jr. | Bwamazon Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:57.60 | $85,800 | III | |
| 1981 | Gnome's Gold | Jean-Luc Samyn | Patrick J. Kelly | Live Oak Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:57.20 | $84,300 | | |
| 1980 | Akureyri | Eddie Maple | Woodford C. Stephens | Hickory Tree Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:54.80 | $58,400 | | |
| 1979 | Freeo | Sam Maple | Joseph B. Cantey | Loblolly Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:53.00 | $42,850 | | Division 1 |
| 1979 | I Take All | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Edward I. Kelly Sr. | Brookfield Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.40 | $43,050 | | Division 2 |
Legend:
 Dirt  Turf
Notes:
§ Ran as an entry
† Both divisions of the event were moved off the turf and onto the main track due to the inclement weather